Sent this off to Craig Orr at Watershed Watch.
I'll send a similar version to the TC as a rebuttal.
If, and that's a big IF the TC prints it, I'll bet they edit the hell out of it.
Hi Craig,
Hope all is well with you and yours.
Just wanted to touch base with you and offer my thoughts on Hill's article in the TC yesterday.
http://www.timescolonist.com/techno...fisheries+conservationists/6353999/story.html
As a recreational fisherman I take strong exception to being referred to as a 'scofflaw'.
Before Arron shot his mouth off, he might have taken a moment to look at the catch-reductions and conservation-concessions the South Island anglers have made in the last few years concerning early timed Fraser fish.
If any degree of accuracy had figured - or was required - in this blatant-defamation of the angling-community, Hill would also have conceded that the South Island anglers have bore the brunt of these conservation efforts over the last few years. As well, he would understand fully our frustration with the DFO, as throughout this period First Nations have carried out - unabated - their annual F&C slaughter of these fish as they swim up the Fraser, while the DFO-sanctioned salmon-farming industry continues its slaughter of these out-migrating young salmon as they try to swim past these Norwegian-owned disease & parasite infested feedlots. Then there's the highly contentious issue of the DFO allowing a massive herring harvest in the Gulf of Georgia (to send their row to Asia) while our gulf Salmon starve; which, in turn impacts our Orca's. So many problems, not many answers...
Seriously Craig, for a long time I have had the greatest respect for the work you and Watershed Watch have done, especially where it concerned the opposition to the salmon-farming industry. Yet, to allow one of your 'loose-guns' to point the finger at the rec-fishing community when our impact on these fish is so minimal while providing the greatest return and socioeconomic-benefit to our Province, is irresponsible at best.
This is a bad rap further aggravated by an over-zealous 'pot-stirring' reporter.
I would urge you and Watershed Watch to remember that we, BC's recreational fishing community, have the word CONSERVATION stamped all over the front page of our 'Bible of Fisherman's' Ethics!'
Yours truly,
Terry Anderson
Wild Salmon Alliance